Illinois senators vote to keep under-18s out of tanning salons

SPRINGFIELD — Tanning salon operators in the Rock River Valley say banning minors from tanning salons will hurt their business, especially if the bill the Senate approved Tuesday becomes law before prom season.

SPRINGFIELD — Tanning salon operators in the Rock River Valley say banning minors from tanning salons will hurt their business, especially if the bill the Senate approved Tuesday becomes law before prom season.

“We have younger people that come in before dances and prom,” said Beth Dulgar, manager at Ocean Blue Tanning Salon in Loves Park. “They should be allowed to do it.”

Ocean Blue allows 15- to 17-year-olds to tan with written permission from a parent.

“We have young people in here all the time,” Dulgar said.

At Sister City’s Sun in Freeport, owner Russ Cashmore doesn’t see a problem with minors tanning if their parents approve.

“The state is trying to become the parent,” he said. “Some kids can tan and some shouldn’t. It should be up to the parent. A lot of business for us in the spring time is prom tanners.

“This will literally legislate that out of business. I wish the state would concentrate on getting the budget under control instead of worrying about being a parent.”

Russ’ wife, Jennifer, doesn’t have a problem with younger-than-18s not being allowed to tan.

“I have a different view from Russ on it,” she said. “Some studies say skin cells aren’t fully developed until your mid-20s.”

There was no debate on Senate Bill 2244 before its 42-9 passage; eight senators didn’t vote.

Radogno’s bill is identical to a ban that passed the House earlier, and she doesn’t see “any trouble whatsoever” with getting a final version to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk.

The bill prohibits people younger than 18 from using indoor, ultraviolet tanning facilities.

“Skin cancer is a huge issue,” Radogno said. “The incidence of skin cancer when you first have used ultraviolet tanning before age 18 rises dramatically. This should be a no-brainer. It is a Class 1 carcinogen, and protecting kids from that makes perfect sense.”

California and Vermont also ban minors from commercial tanning salons.